and the other bits I forgot to add...

 Thank you Josette and Michel..... you can't imagine how many pumpkin soups I have made!

Our Wednesday evening painting group's exhibition at Le Pas at the beginning of October.  This is my contribution - and I even sold one!

September update

I've been a bit busy, but here are the last painting competition updates.  Next stop, Isle of Wight!

La Chabotterie, Vendee.   Couleurs de Bretagne got first prize and I got an individual 3rd prize! and I sold it...

La Meziere - our last painting venue, loads of people and very hot

and here we are relaxing and celebrating the Mason's 39th wedding anniversary as well as the last painting session for quite a few of us.

20th & 21st August

Bazouge la Perouse - why didn't I do what I had planned instead of this buildings scene.  Should have stuck to flowers.  Rain and cold in morning, too hot in the afternoon!

 Combourg - very hot! (Over 100 competitors.....)

 Virtually all the motor-home painting chums turned up - I don't think we've ever had a complete group liike this.

Poor old Bertie was too hot - had to stay inside most of the time because the tarmac burnt his paws!

Ducey 14th August

Only just made it due to absolutely awful weather. Thanks to Pierre Dinahet who organised the event.

August 6th & 7th

 Saturday - it rained ALL day, so I decided to do an ink picture

 Sunday - Spooky village, but at least it was very sunny in the morning, had time to do a second, which is shown underneath.  I entered that as hors concors

Here are the latest...

mid to late July update

 Pontrieux - most of France must have been painting watercolours!

 La Roche Derrien - and it rained again! New umbrella worked, but it was still tough. 3rd place

 Chatelaudren - misty initally, then cleared. 2nd place - Pierre D came first - good.

Binic (below) - very very hot.  Wish I'd just done a drawing instead.  The world was  painting watercolours again!

Here are the latest paintings.  Between venues Bertie managed to fall into the marais, totally coated in green slime.  He had three sessions in the sea which he loved, and we had the most enormous portion of mussels and chips that you have ever seen at Il Grande.  It was enough for four people and cost 16 euros.  We decided we'de better eat it for the whole of the Dodds family.

Eleven (2nd prize - really pleased with this one)

Guerlesquin

Huelgoat (well I tried something different, but it didn't work!)

La Roche Bernard

St Fiacre, Faoeut (3rd prize)

Beginning of July results of our latest trip - most of the time it rained.  Have now bought a fisherman's umbrella for the forthcoming painting weekends!

return from the Morbihan

Lizio (again very hot) 2nd place

Malestroit

Well we got back on Sunday, after incredibly hot weather. Have to stay here for a week, work to do, like repairs to vehicles etc. Bertie's injections, and I'm waiting for an appointment about my "trigger thumb".

Rochefort en Terre and Guerande

 3rd place for Rochefort en Terre

dull and grey Guerande

here's my chum Daniel Giffard getting first place at Guerande - notice the inclusion of Perry and his yellow socks!

Well we've had some pretty awful weather, but did manage to paint in the damp weather again! Managed a third at Rochefort en Terre, but found Guerande a grey and miserable environment.  I'm sure it's different when the sun shines. Sun is forecast for this weekend.
After the painting weekend, back up to Fort Bloque.  Perry's tried to surf, but with such strong winds, it's been nearly impossible.  Bertie has had a couple of ticks! Silly boy!

travelling photos

bored teenager

checking out what's to eat on the beach

Etel provided tents for the painters, but couldn't control the rain

wow, look at that surf - too big for Perry!

well at least we got our washing dry!

Here are some pics of our travels with the van including Bertie having a good time on the beach and washing hanging from our van.

and the rest

Baden (Port Blanc)

Clisson

Buleon

St Jean Brevelay

Etel

Well here are the rest - second prize at St Jean Brevelay.  At Clisson we went to a vineyard (where we also stayed the night, after a little wine tasting).  Didn't win anything, but on signing on got a bottle of wine.  Everyone else appeared to paint the town - no I didn't get it wrong, I think they stayed in town for the restaurants and the festivities which were going on at the same time.  That evening it started to rain...so the next set of pictures were done in the rain - I kid you not! I hate painting in the rain....the paper just stays damp.  We're now in Fort Bloque (resting and washing), sun is out, wind is strong (so no surfing) and Bertie just loves going down to the sea.

Larmor-Baden

Here's the first of our month's trip to the Morbihan. On 1st June managed a first prize.

me and my paintbox - update

Well, we've managed to get some photos included. I got a first prize at Vieux Vy sur Couesnon, second at Vertou and third at St Fiacre sur Maine. These are the paintings done since Easter.
 We are off to the Morbihan for a month and when we get back I'll put the new paintings on, but this time with a few comments. Perry should be surfing and Bertie will be sniffing around.  The van is almost full to the brim with cakes, so we won't starve.

Crazy Bertie

Crazy Bertie

2011 Paintings

La Pelouiniere

Ploeur sur Rance

St Fiacre sur Maine

St Mars sous Ballon (1)

St Mars sur Colmont

St Quay Portrieux

Vertou

Vieux Vy sur Quesnon !st Prize

St Mars sous Ballon (2)

me and my paintbox

Well apart from helping Marie-Claire with her watercolours, I haven't been too active.  Will post some pictures later.

me and my paintbox

Well, I've started!  Every week I will be up[dating my blog with my painting travels, including travelling with the motorhome,  activities of Bertie, my Cavalier King Charles and Perry with his surfboard and bicycle.